The Natural History of Selborne

Many wild fowls haunt Wolmer pond: in the evenings they come forth and feed in the barley-stubbles.

A vast flock of hen chaffinches are to be seen in the fields along by the sides of Newton-lane, interspersed, I think, with a few bramblings, which being rare birds in these parts, probably attended the finches on their emigration.  They feed in the stubbles on the seeds of knot-grass, the great support of small, hard-billed birds in the winter.

Mr White’s tank at Newton has been empty some days.

Some light snow.  Boys slide on lakes.  Turned up much fine rotten earth from among the rubbish carryed out of the garden.

Finished shovelling the zigzag, & bostal.  Wildfowl on Wolmer-pond.

Liss hounds are hunting on the common.  My well very low: some wells are dry.  We have taken away much of the old wood from the vines.  Wheeled dung.

The downy seeds of travellers joy fill the air, & driving before a gale appear like insects on the wing.  Mrs Clement brought to bed of a boy.  My nephews & nieces now 53.

The smoke of the new lighted lime-kilns this evening crept along the ground in long trails: a token of a dry, heavy atmosphere.

Mr. Hale continues to chalk the black malm field opposite to J. Berriman’s house, called Hasteds. He has laid on about 120 loads on less than 3 acres.

Farmer Lasham’s Dorsetshire ewes have produced several lambs.  Insects abound.  Wheat comes up well.